Translation commentary on Letter of Jeremiah 1:71

Purple and linen: The Greek word for purple refers to a dye, but the word is often used to refer to cloth or fabric dyed with it. The Greek word for linen is actually “marble,” but it is undoubtedly a translator’s error for “fine linen.” The same Hebrew word can mean both. All versions accept this change and a footnote, such as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, is in order. Linen was a white cloth made from flax fibers. In areas where linen is unknown, translators may have to use a general expression such as “fine white cloth.”

The Greek speaks of purple and linen as two items. The “purple goods” and “fine linen” here may refer to two different kinds of material, but can as easily refer to linen dyed purple, as Good News Translation has taken it with “purple linen robes” (also Contemporary English Version). See verse 12 and the comments there.

You will know that they are not gods may be rendered “this also proves they are not really gods” (Contemporary English Version).

They will finally themselves be consumed: Good News Translation is helpful in telling us “they will be eaten by termites” (compare verse 12). But unfortunately, its ambiguous pronoun “they” leads us to think we are talking only of the garments; the reference is almost surely to the idols themselves. So Contemporary English Version has “Someday the idols themselves will waste away to nothing.”

Be a reproach in the land: Since the idols have repeatedly been pictured as dead, this cannot mean that they suffer from any disgrace. It could mean that when they rot away, it is a source of shame or disgrace to their owners or worshipers, but this is not likely. If you have an idol and it rots away, you get another one. Good News Translation probably interprets it correctly: it becomes a thing that not even idol worshipers have any use for. In the land, however, probably means “in the country,” that is, the land where they are worshiped. The Good News Translation translation “anywhere” could be improved since the Greek word for land points to a particular place or area rather than the whole world. An alternative model then is “the worshipers will no longer have any use for them.”

The term reproach will be echoed in the next verse.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men 1:33

If integrated into the book of Daniel: 3.54

Blessed art thou upon the throne of thy kingdom: The throne of thy kingdom is translated “your royal throne” by Good News Translation and Moore (similarly New English Bible). Another approach for the whole line is “May you be praised as you rule from your throne [or, as you use your kingly power].” The Greek has nothing to correspond to “as you sit” in Good News Translation, but that is what kings do with thrones, and the insertion fills in the logic and makes the image clearer.

To be extolled and highly exalted for ever: Almost exactly the same line was used in verse 31, where Good News Translation translated it exactly the same as here: “May hymns be sung to your glory forever.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men 1:66

If integrated into the book of Daniel: 3.88

Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael: This is the only place in this deuterocanonical addition to the book of Daniel that the three men are named in the Theodotion text (see Dan 1.6). In the Septuagint they are also named in verse 1 (see the comments there). Some translators will have a problem with these three names appearing here, since they are the speakers, and it is awkward for the speakers to be naming themselves. Contemporary English Version deals with this problem by beginning the verse as follows: “The three of us—Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael—should sing praises to the Lord forever….”

He has rescued us from Hades and saved us from the hand of death, and delivered us …: Hades is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Sheol (see Psa 16.10), which is “the world of the dead” (Good News Translation; see the comments on Bar 2.17). In some languages Hades will be rendered “the place where dead people go.”

The hand of death is a poetic expression for “death,” emphasizing its power.

Three verbs are used in this verse to describe God’s salvation: he rescued them from Hades, saved them from death, and delivered them from the fire. The verb delivered is used twice. It is not necessary to reflect this pattern in translation; few translations do. New Jerusalem Bible has “rescued … saved … snatched … drawn….” The stylistic point worth preserving is the emphasis on being rescued from the fire. It is emphasized in Greek (a) by using the same verb twice, (b) by using and repeating the phrase from the midst of, and (c) by the descriptive expression burning fiery furnace. New English Bible and Moore have a rather effective expression for rescued us from the midst of the fire, saying “rescued us from the heart of the fire” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible). Good News Translation simply says “saved us from the fire,” which can be faulted only in that it does not repeat a description of being taken out of the furnace; it sounds more like a summary statement.

Contemporary English Version provides a helpful model for the whole verse:

• The three of us—
Hananiah, Azariah,
and Mishael—
should sing praises
to the Lord forever,
because if he hadn’t rescued us,
we would have died
in a flaming furnace
and gone down
to the world of the dead.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on Susanna 1:33

If integrated into the book of Daniel: 13.33.

Her family and friends is literally “those with her.” This is the same problematic construction found in Mark 3.21, where the original Revised Standard Version translated “his friends” and later editions translated “his family.” It may mean either or both. Here it may well imply “those who were on her side [or, who were sympathetic with her].” “Her family” is a better choice than “her friends” since we have been told in verse 30 that her family is present. For the whole verse Contemporary English Version has “Susanna’s family was crying, and so was everyone else.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on Bel and the Dragon 1:2

If integrated into the book of Daniel: 14.2.

Daniel was a companion of the king is literally “Daniel was one who lived with the king.” New English Bible and Moore translate companion as “confidant” while Contemporary English Version has “friend and advisor.”

Was the most honored of his friends: It is not clear whether his friends refers to Daniel’s friends or the king’s friends. New English Bible takes it to mean the king’s friends, and translates “the most honoured of all the King’s Friends.” Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version make the same assumption, but further assume that it was the king who honored Daniel even though this is not clear in the Greek text. The Greek could equally well be rendered “people thought more highly of Daniel than of any other of the king’s advisers.” The first question to be decided is whether companion and friends are roughly synonymous terms for royal advisors, cabinet members, or whether friends refers to Azariah, Mishael, and Hananiah. In Dan 2.13, 17, and 18 these three people are referred to as Daniel’s “friends” in the Greek, using the same word as here. Assuming this is what is meant here would also assume a very close connection of this story with the account in Dan 2, which may not be warranted. On the other hand, “friends of the king” was known to be a title of court officials in Seleucid times; see 1 Macc 2.18. It is hard to decide which interpretation is correct, but evidence would seem to warrant favoring Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version‘s interpretation that here his friends refers to the king’s advisors. The second question is who honored Daniel. Again it is hard to decide, but internal evidence from the story would suggest that Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version are correct here. (In verses 7 and 19 Daniel laughs at the king, and in verse 19 he physically restrains him.) Not all translators will have to be any more specific than the Greek, but those who must would do well to favor Good News Translation‘s interpretation that it was the king who honored Daniel. “The king thought more highly of Daniel than of any other of his advisors” (Good News Translation) or “… honored him more than anyone else” (Contemporary English Version) represents the Greek very well. There is no suggestion in the text that Daniel received medals or awards or was otherwise honored at ceremonies. In verse 14 we learn that Daniel had servants.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on Bel and the Dragon 1:36

If integrated into the book of Daniel: 14.36.

The angel of the Lord took him by the crown of his head, and lifted him by his hair: If these are two separate actions, they are best translated by New Jerusalem Bible, which reads “The angel of the Lord took hold of his head and carried him off by the hair.” It is hard to visualize this, however. Does the angel have the prophet’s head in one hand and the hair in another? If the two clauses describe the same action, then Good News Translation does it best with “the angel grabbed the prophet by the hair.” Contemporary English Version also is good: “The angel lifted up Habakkuk by his hair.” Even if they are two separate actions, it is hard to see that Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version lose anything. Our advice is to follow these two translations. (See Ezek 8.3, and compare 1 Kgs 18.12; 2 Kgs 2.16.)

Set him down in Babylon, right over the den: It is amazing how many translations seem to see nothing strange about setting someone down on top of a huge hole in the ground! Good News Translation sees the problem and has a good solution, but New Jerusalem Bible is better with “he set Habakkuk down on the edge of the pit” (similarly Contemporary English Version). This expresses the Greek well and presents a vivid mental image.

With the rushing sound of the wind itself: This is almost always taken as an adverbial phrase modifying the verb set. (In Good News Translation it modifies the verb “took,” but Good News Translation inserts “took” [Contemporary English Version “carried”] to fill a little gap in the narrative between the angel’s grabbing Habakkuk and his putting him down.) A suggestion has been made that the phrase is a mistranslation from Hebrew (“when he recovered his breath”) and goes with the following verse, but this is not taken seriously by most scholars today. These further points can be made:

1. Rushing sound translates a noun. In Greek literature it is used to describe such things as the sound of an arrow in flight or a whip, the noise made by a tree as it falls, the beating of a bird’s wings, the hiss of a snake, the sound made by filing metal, or the pronunciation of the letter R.
2. Wind translates a word that can mean wind, breath, or spirit.
3. The term translated itself can serve as a pronoun or an adjective, and is in an ambiguous position. As an intensive adjective, it can mean “the wind itself”; as a pronoun, it can mean “his wind.” (As a matter of fact it can even mean “its wind,” but the context rules at least that possibility out.)

The idea of a sound does not go well with “spirit,” so that the reading of the Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version footnote, “by the power of his spirit,” is difficult to justify. Good News Translation, New American Bible, and New Revised Standard Version take the rushing sound to stand for a strong wind, and read “with the speed of the wind,” which is better. New English Bible takes the word for wind to refer to the angel’s breath, however, so it reads “with the blast of his breath” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible). This makes good sense linguistically, and if one objects that it is a strange picture—well, look around at the surrounding context! This Handbook suggests an interpretation very close to Revised Standard Version, and to Moore’s “in a gust of wind.” An alternative model for the whole verse with this interpretation is:

• So the angel grabbed Habakkuk by the hair, and took him to Babylon in a rushing wind, and set him down on the edge of the lion pit.

Compare the first line of Psa 104.4, which can be translated “[you] make the winds your messengers” or “[you] make your angels winds.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on Psalm 151:4

It was he who sent his messenger: The Greek word for messenger is the word often translated “angel,” but here it obviously refers to Samuel, who in 1 Sam 16 is sent by the Lord to select from Jesse’s sons a successor to King Saul. So in a number of languages where “angel” is translated as “God’s messenger,” it will be helpful to supply Samuel’s name here; for example, “The Lord sent Samuel.”

And took me from my father’s sheep: See 2 Sam 7.8; Psa 78.70-71. In 1 Sam 16 David is chosen by Samuel and the spirit of the Lord comes on David. In the next scene, Saul’s advisers suggest he hire a musician to ease his depression, and David is brought to Saul’s court. He leaves his task as shepherd and goes to serve the king. This sequence of events is reflected in this psalm. David tends sheep in verse 1, he makes a harp in verse 2, God hears him playing the harp in verse 3, and here in verse 4, God sends the prophet Samuel to relieve him of his shepherding duties.

And anointed me with his anointing oil: See 1 Sam 16.13; Psa 89.20. Anointing—pouring olive oil over the head—was performed when kings took office; it was like a coronation. David is to take Saul’s place (see 1 Sam 16.1).

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

He sent Samuel to anoint my head with oil
and take me away from my father’s sheep.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see

Translation commentary on Baruch 2:8

For these two verses, compare the similar wording of Bar 1.20-21 (22).

The connector Yet, which begins verse 8, shows a contrastive relationship between these two verses. Good News Translation maintains this relationship with “Even though” opening verse 7. However, verse 7 in Good News Translation lacks any obvious reference back to Bar 1.20. The following model was suggested there: “And now look at us! These disasters that we are suffering are the result of the terrible things that God had told his servant Moses to threaten us with long ago, at the time when the Lord led our ancestors out of Egypt, so that he might give us a rich, fertile land.” If translators were to follow that model in chapter 1, they could make reference back to it at this point by saying “Even though the Lord brought on us the disasters that he threatened….”

Good News Translation interprets verse 8 to mean that the people did not pray to God that they would abandon their evil thoughts. The Greek can be understood this way (so also New English Bible), but there is another possibility that is rather more likely, namely, that the people did not try to gain the Lord’s favor by abandoning those evil thoughts. (The Greek text does not mention prayer, only “seeking the face of the Lord,” that is, asking for his favor.) If we follow the more likely meaning here, an alternative model for verses 7-8 is:

• Even though the Lord brought on us the disasters that he threatened, we still did not try to win back his favor by turning from our own evil thoughts.

The last phrase, “by turning from our own evil thoughts,” refers back to the text of Good News Translation at 1.21 (22).

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.